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The Chemistry Portal

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Colourful solutions in test-tubes.
Welcome to the chemistry portal. Chemistry, from Greek language χυμεία meaning "study of liquids", is a branch of science. Modern chemistry focuses on the study of elements of the world and the bonds between elements. Chemistry also deals with composition, structure, and properties of substances and the transformations that they undergo. In the study of matter, chemistry also investigates its interactions with energy and itself. Because of the diversity of matter, which is mostly in the form of compounds, chemists often study how atoms of different chemical elements interact to form molecules, and how molecules interact with each other.


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Featured article - Selected picture - News - Selected biography - History and Philosophy - Techniques - Equipment - Chemistry in society - Chemistry in industry - Periodic Table - Resources - WikiProjects - Things you can do - Collaboration of the month - Related portals - Associated Wikimedia


  

Featured article

Space-filling image of an alanine cyclol "fabric", proposed by Winrich in 1936.
The cyclol hypothesis was the first structural model of a folded, globular protein. It was developed by Dorothy Wrinch in the late 1930's, and was based on three assumptions. Firstly, the hypothesis assumes that two peptide groups can be crosslinked by a cyclol reaction; these crosslinks are covalent analogs of non-covalent hydrogen bonds between peptide groups. These reactions have been observed in the ergopeptides and other compounds. Secondly, it assumes that, under some conditions, amino acids will naturally make the maximum possible number of cyclol crosslinks, resulting in cyclol molecules and cyclol fabrics. Finally, the hypothesis assumes that globular proteins have a tertiary structure corresponding to Platonic solids and semiregular polyhedra formed of cyclol fabrics with no free edges.

Although incorrect as a model for the structure of globular proteins, several elements of the cyclol model were later verified, such as the cyclol reaction itself and the hypothesis that hydrophobic interactions are chiefly responsible for protein folding. The cyclol hypothesis stimulated many scientists to research questions in protein structure and chemistry, and was a precursor of the more accurate models hypothesized for the DNA double helix and protein secondary structure. The proposal and testing of the cyclol model also provides an excellent illustration of empirical falsifiability acting as part of the scientific method.

  

Selected picture

A vitrification experiment for the study of nuclear waste disposal at Pacific Northwest National Labs.
Credit: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Vitrification is a process of converting a material into a glass-like amorphous solid which is free of any crystalline structure, either by the quick removal or addition of heat, or by mixing with an additive. Vitrification is a proven technique in the disposal and long-term storage of nuclear waste or other hazardous wastes. Waste is mixed with glass-forming chemicals to form molten glass that then solidifies, immobilizing the waste. The final waste form resembles obsidian and is a non-leaching, durable material that effectively traps the waste inside. The above image demonstrates this process.

  

Categories

  

History and Philosophy of Chemistry

Antoine Lavoisier

Many chemists have an interest in the history of chemistry. Those with philosophical interests will be interested that the philosophy of chemistry has quite recently developed along a path somewhat different from the general philosophy of science.

Other articles that might interest you are:

There is a Wikipedia Project on the History of Science and portals for the scientific method and philosophy of science.

  

Chemistry Resources

Wikipedia:WikiProject Chemicals/Data is a collection of links and references that are useful for chemistry-related works. This includes free online chemical databases, publications, patents, computer programs, and various tools.

Science is Fun University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, shares the fun of science.

megaConverter The Web's best place to figure out what equals what.

General Chemistry Online Clear text and comprehensive coverage of general chemistry topics by Fred Senese, Dept. of Chemistry Frostburg State University

General Chemistry Demonstration at Purdue Video clips (and descriptions) of lecture demonstrations.

Intota Chemistry Experts A large online listing of real-world chemistry expert biographies provides examples of the many areas of expertise and careers in chemistry.

Chemistry Webercises Directory A large listing of chemistry resources maintained by Steven Murov, Emeritus Chemistry Professor Modesto Junior College.

MathMol MathMol (Mathematics and Molecules) is a good starting point for those interested in the field of molecular modeling.

Chemistry Educational Resources and Essential References from Wiley, the world's largest chemistry publisher

ABC Chemistry A directory of free full-text journals in chemistry, biochemistry and related subjects.

  

In the news

Rohm and Haas Headquarters in 2007.
Rohm and Haas Headquarters in 2007.
  • 7-10 US chemical giant Dow Chemical has announced that it is to buy Philadelphia-based rival Rohm and Haas. Dow is paying $78 per share, a 74 percent premium, which makes the agreement worth around $15.3 billion. The change will expand Dow's presence in the specialty chemical market. Dow plans to set up an advanced materials business unit at the Rohm and Haas headquarters in Philadelphia, and this unit will retain the Rohm and Haas name. Read more...
  • 2-15 Chemists modeling the structure of strongly acidic solutions have found that hydronium ions can associate into unusual ion pairs. Gregory A. Voth and Sergei Izvekov of the University of Utah, in collaboration with Feng Wang of Boston University, were examining the structure of aqueous hydrochloric acid at concentrations of 0.43-0.85 M, and they found that the ions unexpectedly associate into pairs. See doi:10.1021/ja078106i Read more...
  

Selected biography

Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff
Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff (1852-1911) was a Dutch physical and organic chemist, and recipient of the inaugural Nobel Prize for Chemistry. His first major findings accounted for the phenomenon of optical activity by assuming that the chemical bonds between carbon atoms and their neighbors were directed towards the corners of a regular tetrahedron. This three-dimensional structure perfectly accounted for the isomers found in nature (stereochemistry). He shares credit for this idea with the French chemist Joseph Le Bel, who independently came up with the same idea. He received the first Nobel Prize for his work on relating the behaviour of solutions to that displayed by gases.
  

Techniques used by chemists

  

Equipment used by chemists

  

Chemistry in society

  

Chemistry in industry

  

WikiProjects

  

Periodic Table

  

Things you can do

Here are some things you can do:

  

Collaboration of the Month

The current Chemistry Collaboration of the Month is Catalysis.
Every month a different chemistry-related topic, stub or non-existent article is picked. Please improve the article any way you can.
  

Related portals

  

Associated Wikimedia
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